Car-coupling



(No Model.)

' H. WELLS.

CAB COUPLING.

Patented Jan. 3,1882. I

WITNESSE ATTORNEYS.

'-UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. HENRYWELLS, OF GLENWOOD, -I OWA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming" part of Letters Patent No. 251,979, dated January 3 1882.

Application filed July 5, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY WELLs, of Glenwood,inthe-'count-y of Mills and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Car-Coupler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to that class of couplers that are self-couplers; and it consists of a flaring-mouthed curved faced draw-bar having a slotted triangular block or catch fixed centrally on its bottom within its mouth to assist in guiding and holding the coupling-link, and of springs secured in the roof of the mouth to assist in inclining and holdingthe couplinglink'down and engaged with the rear of said block or catch 5' and, further, of acoupling-pin of peculiar construction, that is designed to remain in the draw-head when coupling, provided with a strong forward-projecting hooked finger orcatch that has a downward and inwardly inclined front edge and vertical back, the inclined front edge being designed to assist in guiding the entering coupling-link, and to enable the said enteringlink to liftlsaid pin and disengage its finger-point from the slotted bottom catch, while the straight vertical rear edge of the said finger servesfor the entered link to hold against; and itf'urtherconsists ofnovel uncoupling devices, all of which will be hereina-fter described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the coupler in position on a freight-car. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the coupler, showing a modification of the uncoupling mechanism. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sec tional elevation of the coupler on linear m, Fig. 5. Fig. 4. is an enlarged cross-sectional elevation of the coupler on line yy, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section on line 22, Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents a car, and B the draw-bar, provided with a flaring mouth, a, to facilitate the entrance of the couplingliuk M, and having in its top alongitudinal T-shaped slot, 1), for the entrance of the coupling-pin E, and in its bottom a corresponding slot, 0, for the admission of the end of said coupling-pin E. Rigidly secured on the bottom of said draw-bar B, centrally within its mouth, is a triangular catch or block, (I, haviug its pointat the front, and. hence inclining upward and rearward therefrom, in which is a vertical slot or mortise, d, for the entrance of the point f of the projecting finger 0 of the coupling-pin E, whereby said pin B may be said draw-bar B when in such position, while the extended orflanged sides It of said pin E are designed for holding said pin E more steadily by entrance into the wider'portion' of the slot b. The lower portion of the shank g has a vertically-grooved front edge, as shown at Z, so that said coupling-pin E can be entered through the draw-bar B past therounded edge m of the block 0, and in the end of said shank g is a hole, at, extending from front to rear thereof, in which is fitted a removable bolt, it, held by a nut, ri and having a head, a that extends outward flush with the edge of said shank g, so that when said. bolt n is in place, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, said pin E cannot be withdrawn because of the contact of the bolt-head n with the catch-block edge m,- but on removing said bolt a said pin E may be withdrawn for the uncoupling of the cars.

On the upper part of the coupling-pin E is formed a forward-projecting hooked finger, 0,

whose front edge, 0, is cut away on a downward incline, as shown, so that when struck by an entering coupling-link, M, said coupling-pin E will be thereby lifted. The point or nose f an opening, 1), is formed in the coupling-pin E,

forthe entrance and play of an end of the coupling-link M.

The rod F, the lower end of which is engaged IOO in thetop of the coupling-pin E, extends upward to within easy reach of an operator on thetop of the car A, whereby the said couplingpin E can be raised for uncoupling when the boltnis withdrawn. The car can be uncoupled also from either side by means of the levers G G, that are fulcrurned on studs r 1', which are held in the end of the car A by brackets r 0", the inner ends of said levers G G being connected with the top of the pin E, while their outer ends extend beyond the sides ofthe carA. A modification of the uncoupling device is shown in Fig. 2, wherein the uncoupling-rod F -is provided with a loop, .9, midway ofits length, or thereabout, and with a projecting shoulder, 3, near its top. In this modification a threearmed spider, K, is pivoted on a stud, t, that is designed to project from the end of the car A, and that is held by a brace, t, which is secured on the end of said car A. To the opposite extremities of the two vertical arms of said spider K are attached rods H E, that extend in opposite directions to the sides of the car A, being supported in horizontal position by passing through loops u, that are secured on the end of'said car A. The horizontal curved arm oot' said spider K has its free extremity engaged in the loop 8 of the rod F, so that on pulling either of the rods ElH the rod F, and therebythecou1')ling-pinE,iselevated Forthe uncoupling of the car A. The said rod F is steadied in position by passing through an eyebolt, 10, set in the end of the car A, and when elevated may be so held by the engagement of its shoulder 8' on the catch to, that is fixed in the end of the car A. The coupling-link M resembles those in common use.

With this device cars can be automatically coupled on coming together, and uncoupled with ease from either the top or sides of the car, whereby the danger to life and limb incident upon going between the cars for these purposes is avoided.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A car-coupler constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of draw-bar B, having slots b 0, provided with internal slotted triangular oatch,(),and internal springs, D, and coupling-pin E, having shoulders h z, hooked finger 0, and link-opening 1), arranged and operated as set forth.

2. In a car-coupler, the draw-bar B, provided with T-shaped slot 1) and slot 0, for admission of coupling pin, and with triangular slotted block or catch 0 and springs D, for guiding and holding the coupling-link, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a ear-couplcr, the combination, with the draw-bar, of the coupling-pin E, having, shoulders h i, flanged sides k, grooved edge l, bolt and nut n, and hooked finger 0, having nosefand opening p, substantially as herein shown and described.

4:. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the coupling-pin E, provided with groove land abolt-hole,n, of the bolt and nut n 12 substantially as herein shown and described, whereby said coupling-pin is held in place, as set forth.

HENRY WELLS.

Witnesses:

M. H. BYERS, SETH DEAN. 

